For those out there that aren’t familiar with Chris Wright, let’s start by telling us about yourself. What is your background? What is your training like?
Truth be told, my background is street fighting. Like Plies, “I’m from the hood doe, like the hood doe, like really really really from the hood doe”. Then I left Detroit and went to college. Nowadays I probably train more than I should. I usually train at least 5 hours a day 5 days a week. I get a lot of sessions in with head coach Eric Turner, strength coach Nate Hoffmeister, Joey Zonar, Rafaello Oliveira and John Faust of Lafollette Boxing. Occasionally I get to train with Pigeon Forge and Bearden high school wrestling teams. Also 7X!!! World BJJ champion Samuel Braga and his star teenage student Jesse Calbaugh. I get a lot of love from ALL of these people and more.
Feb 10 you fight Len Cook at XFC 16 in Knoxville. Where does this fight rank in importance in your career? Is Cook your toughest challenge to date?
Len Cook is good in every aspect. I think highly of his skill set. He’s very, very good. Is he the toughest challenge I’ve fought? I dunno. You gotta remember that as an amatuer I was being flown to Pennsylvania; and NJ to fight some of their toughest guys. I’ve already fought some really tough dudes – Purple Belt NAGA champ, American Top Team wrestlers, pro boxers and state champion wrestlers. I think Len is well rounded, but he hasn’t fought anyone like me… he’s the one that should be talking about how tough I am.
Are there any aspects in which you feel you are superior to Cook?
As a white belt I torched the blue belt division in NAGA, subbing almost everyone – gi and no-gi. I train boxing at Kronk’s in Detroit. I train everyday with UFC and Strikeforce fighters & get the same coaching that they got to get them to that level. Are there aspects in which I feel superior? Yes, all of them.
What about his game concerns you the most?
Nothing about his game concerns me. Are there areas where he is more dangerous? Sure, he’s got some weird kicks and he’s got a good ground game, but I wear the armor of God, therefore, I am unstoppable.
There has been some talk about the 130 catchweight on this bout. What has been the deal with that?
You should ask Len what the deal is with that. Either him or his coach lack the testicular fortitude to fight me at a ‘real weight class’. I guess they’re used to cherry picking opponents for their guys and figured I couldn’t make the weight. In essence they were trying to say “no, we can’t do that fight because Chris make 130…” then I called their bluff and I imagine they crapped in their pants.
In the interview that Cook gave to Cyrus right before the B-Mac fight, he said 7 or 8 times that he’s a 135 lber now and he wouldn’t go lower – even to avenge a loss. Then he gets a fight offer to fight me and the first thing out of his coaches mouth is: “ït’s gotta be at 130.” It’s not professional. It’s bush-league crap.
What can we expect from your televised bout with Len Cook Feb 10 on HDNet? Care to give a prediction?
You can expect fireworks, that’s for sure. I won’t give a prediction but a lot of other people are giving their predictions via your Facebook discussion post Len Cook vs Saint-Christopher Wright. Mostly everybody pick me to win. Even his friends, family and fans didn’t pick him to win. They just say he has the skills to win or we’ll see February 10th. Wow. My dad, Chris Sr., says that Len will get KO’d if he tries to stand with me. But I won’t make a prediction. It’s XFC ‘High Stakes’ and I’ll let the chips fall where they may!
